Our Congratulations to the New FIlipino Archbishop and New Filipino Nuncio

As you all know, Mons. Bernardito Auza was nominated last May 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI as the new Nuncio to Haiti and thus to be elevated to the dignity of Archbishop. He will be consecrated Archbishop this July 3 at St. Peter's Basilica at 5 pm. The reception will follow at the Pontificio COllegio Filippino. By July 6, the new Archbishop will say his thanksgiving mass at the PCF main chapel at 10:oo a.m. The Pundok ni Beato Pedro Calungsod will be tasked by Msgr. Stude to be the choir and the readers of the Holy Mass. Auguri, Archbishop Barnie!

Our PCF Daily Life from January to December 2008:

January 7, 2008. Today Christmas break 2007 ended and regular classes in different universities began. As expected, PCF student-priests faced another new opportunities for the new year, keeping always in their mind the main reason of their stay in this collegio and in Rome. The regular monthly confession, recollection, conferences with the Spiritual Director and the Rector, the general assembly of the student-body dissolved the experience of Christmas vacation into pieces of happy memories.



January 19, 2008. The third recollection of the school year was facilitated by Fr. Oscar A. Cadayona (Diocese of Maasin) with the topic focusing on the graces and struggles of the priesthood from day one up to ten years in the ministry. The facilitator would celebrate his tenth year anniversary of his priestly ordination this year.



January 28, 2008. The final examinations for the first semester of the school year started today. The examinations period would run until the 14th day of February, and a few days after the second semester would start.



February 6, 2008. The first week of the month brought the priests and personnel residents of the Collegio into deep reflections not only because of the on-going winter exams but also because of Lenten Season. This day 6th of February started with the traditional putting of ashes on person’s foreheads during the mass in the morning and in the evening was a kind of spiritual conference.



February 16, 2008. Fr. Jun Bermejo of the Prelature of Opus Dei and of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross facilitated the fourth recollection of the year. He just followed up the themes he gave to PCF priests during their annual retreat last October, 2007.



February 18, 2008. The PCF priests saw the day as the start of the second semester. In the evening, the Sports Committee headed by Fr. Bong Fuentes invited every one to watch the opening of the Winter Olympics of this Collegio, usually called the Rector’s Cup. As usual, the event was that of table tennis - single and double.

February 29, 2008. Today the new spiritual director arrived in Rome from the Philippines. He’s Mons. Willy Andrey from the Diocese of Gumaca, Quezon Province. A former resident here in PCF, he got a licentiate degree in Biblical Scriptures in Biblicum in the late 80’s, and afterwards assigned to different ecclesiastical posts in the Philippines as professor, pastor, and chancellor in their diocese.


March 5, 2008. The first of the series of spiritual conferences by Mons. Andrey began today at the PCF crypta. Points for reflection for the season of Lent were given emphasis at this conference, not to mention his introduction of his work and his being available always to those student-priests in need of assistance.

March 15, 2008. The Easter break of the school year began since tomorrow would already be Palm Sunday. Within the week, the Father Rector was still able to manage his usual Rector’s conference which would usually fall on the third Wednesday of the month. He talked about pilgrimages to holy sites as Lourdes, Assisi, Fatima, etc. and related them with the reality of conversion. The Easter breaks ended on March 30.

April 3, 2008. Today the coordinators of the different Filipino communities here in Rome gathered in the PCF’s San Lorenzo Hall to listen and discuss about the coming Collegio Day on the first Sunday of May. Mons. Stude Santos and Fr. Ian Rabago facilitated the meeting attended by the majority of the coordinators.

April 19, 2008. For this month’s recollection, Fr. Raul Dael shared with the community the graces and struggles for the past fifteen years as an ordained minister. He’s from the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, in the doctoral program of Spirituality at the Gregorian University.

May 1-3, 2008. Triduum of Masses took place in preparation of the PCF Fiesta 2008. The PCF student-priests and personnel took turns in sponsoring the Masses, attended by friends and benefactors and representatives of different Filipino communities in Rome.

May 4, 2008. The PCF Day ’08 started with a Solemn High Mass with Jose Cardinal Sanchez as the main celebrant and more than 40 priests as concelebrants. The beautiful procession of the zagalas (this year, they are married women) began at the San Lorenzo Hall and ended at the basketball court where the crowning of Our Lady by His Exc. Ambassador Philipp Lhuilier took place. Even Filipino communities outside Rome such as Lecce, Barri, Casserta, Terni, and Milan attended the celebrations in addition to 50 plus Filipino communities here in Rome.

May 20, 2008. The day witnessed the election of the new set of co-responsibles of the PCF. The comelec chaired by Msgr. Willy Andrey proclaimed the winners as follows: Fr. Jonathan Corsino (La Union) as coordinator: Fr. Edilberto R. Mahinay (Mati) as vice-coordinator; Fr. John Amrafil Gadon (Military) as Secretary/Treasurer; Fr. Ferdinand Lariosa (Digos) as chair of spirituality; Fr. Sam Galias (Sorsogon) as chair for socials; Fr. Harold Anthony Parilla (Tagbilaran) as chair for sports; Fr. Noel Ian Rabago (Laoag) as chair for music.

May 23, 2008. The customary “Pamana Night” changed the mode of one Collegio night when some of our brother-priests who were finishing their licentitate’s bid goodbye and extended their gratitude to the whole community. Extending their thanks and bequeathing something to the lower years were: Fr. Samson (Kenya), Fr. Bong (Cotabato), Fr. Ejay (Lucena), Fr. Edwin (La Union), Fr. Arnel (LRMS).

June 3, 2008. The PCF student-priests were busy finalizing their thesis, paper works and other academic requirements as summer examinations commenced. But as early as June 15 some priests already began leaving for summer exposure after successfully overcoming the hurdles – the final examinations.
June 12, 2008. Today was the commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the Philippine Independence from Spain. The Ambassador to the Holy See to the Vatican, Amb. Leonida Vera, spearheaded the event with Archbishop Filoni, the Sostituto, celebrating the eucharistic celebration. Archbishop Monteressi, Archbishop Francisco Padilla and more than 50 priests came as concelebrants. Due to frail health, His Eminence Jose Cardinal Sanchez just found himself sitting near the altar during the celebration.

July 3, 2008. The Rev. Msgr. Bernardito Auza (Talibon) was consecrated Archbishop in St. Peter’s Basilica at 5 in the afternoon, after being appointed as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti. The reception followed at the Pontificio Collegio Filippino.

July 6, 2008. The newly consecrated Archbishop Bernardito Auza celebrated his thanksgiving mass at the PCF’s main chapel at 10:00 in the morning, attended by various Filipino communities which Msgr. Auza served when he was assigned in Rome. The Pundok ni Beato Pedro Calungsod, the Cebuano-speaking community, served as lectors and choir.

August 26-29, 2008. The arrival of the new comers from the Philippines. They were Fr. Ben Jerson Canete (Tagum), Fr. Mel Enero (Maasin), Fr. Jerome Antogop (MLCC), Fr. Manny Zagada (Neuva Caceres), Fr. Ericson Tio (Lipa), Fr. Cyril Paredes (Borongan), Fr.Garette Ulamino (Nueva Segovia). The following day saw them having recollection and orientation.

September 1, 2008. The Italian Language Course at the Pontifical Gregorian University and at the Pontifical University of Santa Cruz started. All Saturdays in the month of September were intended for the pilgrimage of the new students visiting holy and historical places of Rome and nearby places or cities. Some old students-priests started to arrive the last week of this month.

October 6-11, 2008. The annual retreat for the PCF community began on the 6th and ended on the 11th with Mons. Willy Andrey as the Retreat Facilitator. The retreat took place outside Rome for a change. The 47th Foundation Anniversary of the PCF was marked simply by a Holy Mass offered in joy and thanksgiving for the past gifts abundantly received and in great hope for the bright future for all who would be in one or another part of this sacred institution. The enrolment for the first semester continued this week. While the student-priests were busy preparing for the start of the academic year after the retreat, some Filipino Bishops arrived from the Philippines top attend the Synod of Bishops here in Rome. They were: Archbishop Orlando Quevedo (Cotabato), Bishop Chito Tagle (Imus), Bishop Arturo Bastes (Sorsogon), Bishop Broderick Pabillo (Manila), and Bishop Pablo David (Pampanga).

November 1, 2008. The annual intramurals of the PCF was held today with the community divided by two groups, one headed by Fr. Loloy Mahinay and the other one led by Fr. Nanding Lariosa. The group of Fr. Loloy came out as the overall winner after so many emotional contests throughout the day until the evening during which Fr. Manny Zagada (Caceres) was crowned as the new Mr. Collegio.

Novemebr 15, 2008. Right after supper, a PDDM Sister facilitated the monthly recollection for the whole community with the topic on St. Paul and inter-religious dialogue, considering the fact that this year is dedicated to St. Paul, the Apostle.

December 12, 2008. The whole PCF community held in advance the Christmas Party since starting next week many would already be leaving for Misa de Gallo outside Rome. The newcomers rendered a very beautiful song, making the audience recall the sweet celebration of Christmas in the Philippines. The personnel and the administration answered with a Christmas carol. Then, the second year presented a dance number, with Fr. Nanding Lariosa gracefully leading the cast. Not to be outdone, the third year up occupied the dance floor with their “Kumukuti-kutitap”. The party was graced by the presence of Arhcbishop Oscar Cruz (Lingayen-Dagupan) and Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas (Maasin).

December 24, 2008. The whole PCF main chapel and lobby were filled to overflowing as the Father Rector and the rest of student-priests left behind celebrated the Christmas Mass for Filipinos at 10:00 in the evening. A typical food serving as Noche Buena was offered to the Mass goers with the exchange of Auguri to one another overheard all over the place.